Public Health

The Massachusetts Legislature’s Joint Committee on Public Health considers matters regarding the public health of the commonwealth and other matters as referred. As its new name suggests, MHA and our members have an increasing focus on maintaining individuals’ health throughout their lives – as opposed to healing them when they fall ill. MHA is actively involved in matters of public health policy and legislation.

An independent study of mandated nurse staffing ratios found that the proposed ballot question will conservatively cost the state’s healthcare system $1.31 billion in the first year, and $900 million annually thereafter.

MHA – joining with the Massachusetts Health Council, the Boston Foundation and the American Heart / American Stroke Association – testified before the Joint Committee on Revenue in strong support of a tiered excise tax proposal on sugary drinks.

Dr. Lynda Young, president of Tobacco Free Mass and former president of the Massachusetts Medical Society, testified with Chris Lathan, M.D., a medical oncologist from Dana Farber Cancer Institute in support of legislation that would raise the legal